NYC Parks Provides Community Update On Red Hook Ball Fields Remediation

RED HOOK – NYC Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a meeting Monday evening to provide the Red Hook community with an update on the lead remediation and improvement project at the Red Hook ball fields.

Held at the Red Hook Recreation Center (155 Bay Street), just across the street from the ball and soccer fields, NYC Parks announced that the first phase of the four-phase project will be delayed by approximately ten months.

The cause of the delay occurred during the bidding process of the project. As part of NYC’s procurement process, projects must be awarded to the lowest bidder. A significant difference in the fees proposed by the lowest and second lowest bidders called for an extended review. The agency also spent additional time determining whether the contractors are offering protection and fair pay to workers and whether they can efficiently carry out the project, or perform more than 50-percent of the work, if subcontractors are proposed.

“NYC Parks is committed to making sure all parks are safe and healthy environments,” according to a statement provided by the agency. “We have been working closely with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Environmental Protection Agency to address historic contamination and reconstruct all of the Red Hook ballfields. Due to the need for additional review and the added time, the first phase of the project will be delayed by approximately 10 months.”

In April 2015, the EPA and NYC Parks closed Ball Fields 5, 6, 7 and 8 to begin work on a $100+ million remediation plan following tests of the park’s soil that found a number of contaminants including concentrations of lead. Soccer Field 3 was subsequently closed in March 2016, followed by the closure of Soccer Field 2 and Ball Fields 1, 2, 3, 4 in May 2016. All of the cleanup is currently slated to be completed by 2023.

The updated schedule for the Red Hook Ball Fields Remediation project is below.

Phase 1: Ball Fields 5-8, Soccer Field 7 (all currently closed)
Funding: $14.76M
Estimated Completion: Spring 2020
Status: Presented field design to Community Board 6 Parks Committee May 18, 2016.
The contract is currently in the process of being awarded to a Contractor.

Phase 1 is the only phase of the project that will experience a delay.

Phase 2: Ball Field 9, Soccer Field 2 (Soccer Field 2 is currently closed)
Funding: $21.88M
Estimated Completion: Spring 2021
Status: Ball Field 9 remains open with a fully-funded, long-term remediation plan.
The Phase 2 Construction Documents will be completed soon.

Phase 3: Soccer Field 3 (inside of track), Ball Fields 1-4 (Soccer Fields 4 and 5 in the Fall), (Soccer Field 3 is currently closed)
Funding: $48.4M [Plus an additional $3M in funding provided by Council Member Carlos Menchaca (District 38) for lighting on the field.]
Estimated Completion: Fall 2021
Status: Track 1 surrounding Soccer Field 3 will remain open. Fields 1 through 4 will remain closed to allow for a sufficient grass cover to be maintained and for NYC Parks to continue inspections. A fully-funded, long-term remediation plan is being developed. The Design for Phase 3 recently began.

Phase 4: Soccer Fields 1 (synthetic turf) and 6
Funding: $21.2M
Estimated Completion: Spring 2023
Status: Both fields remain open with a fully-funded, long-term remediation plan.

For more info, go to nycgovparks.org.